Following Hurricane Katrina, the Bring New Orleans Back Commission was charged with formulating a blueprint for how the City of New Orleans would adapt to its new conditions and rebuild itself after its greatest natural disaster. President and CEO Ray Manning was appointed Co-Chair of the Urban Planning Committee, one of the most influential committees of the Commission.
He organized months of intensive meetings with participants from diverse professional backgrounds including urban planners, financing institutions, architects, home builders, legal consultants, government officials, railroad enthusiasts and educators. Regular meetings were held with the public at large to improve how the plan would affect neighborhoods. Once completed, the plan submitted by the Urban Planning Committee served as the core framework upon which all subsequent plans for the City of New Orleans were based.